Fire Wall
by ForgottenLoveSong
Summary: This is a side story to Warrior's Spirit, Fairy's Heart focusing on Tecna and Ryo. As two who know pain of letting people get close only to have them leave come together, they learn to let people in again and to forgive them self over the death of another. Forging bonds of friendship strong enough to face the trix without worry or doubt.
1. Chapter 1

Another's Note: Hello and sorry for being gone so long. I've been super busy in real life, and I'm trying very hard to catch up on my writing. Hopefully summer will let me do just that.

Disclaimer: I don't own either the Winx Club or Ronin Warriors

Warning: Rating of this fic is set at M for potential adult topics later.

Chapter 1) Open Chat

Set during Chapter 32

It still amazed Tecna how relaxed she felt now, talking with Rajura, Ryo, Shin and Musa. It wasn't that they made her comfortable, but the people who were now daring to walk up to them and introduce themselves or ask question of the three men. Galatea, and a few fairies had come over to speak with them. Tecna had lost part of the conversation to her own thoughts but watching the reaction of Galatea and the other fairies as they talked, seeing them smile back at the smiles of Shin, Ryo and Rajura was nice.

"Thank you for speaking with us." Galatea said sweetly.

"Hey no problem." Ryo shrugged as he swirled his drink.

"It was quite beneficial, and your curiosity over our foe is understandable." Rajura spoke and Shin chuckled.

"What they mean is feel free to talk with us any time. We enjoyed it, and don't mind your questions at all." Shin said his typical warm smile lighting up his face.

"Well I do have one more question than." A younger fairy with silver hair said. She was the quietest of the girls there and looked the most timid.

"Shoot." Ryo said before taking a sip of his drink. Tecna watched Ryo's calm demeanor the warm confidence, and caring that exuded from him. His blue eyes were soft yet fierce, and made her recall the time they fought Icy side by side. She'd been so scared and he'd been so calm but certain when he reassured her that she was fine.

"Well why hasn't anyone heard about you if you fought these people before. I mean not even the earth fairies knew you really existed." The young fairy asked there was no accusation in her tone just curiosity.

"That's because when the dynasty captured everyone in Japan the first time, they didn't remember their capture or the assault that the dynasty made. The second time we fought them we went into the dynasty. It's probably for the best that we went unknown, since I wouldn't want to be remember at the cost of having them remember the torture and pain the dynasty put them through." Ryo elaborate.

"Indeed the towers in the dynasty collect power from anguish… It isn't a pleasant idea but it is the truth and why the dynasty's strength can't be underestimated." Rajura said and both Ryo and Shin nodded.

"That's horrible." Galatea breathed the stun look on the fairies face told Tecna that no one had conveyed the magnitude of the Dynasty's threat to them.

"It is, that's why the the Ancients and us have worked to protect earth from the Dynasty." Shin smiled.

"Thank you for answering but I have one more question. Do… Do you have a girlfriend?" The young fairy asked leaving the Tecna quite shocked. She must have made some sort of sound because Rajura glanced at her, but she was too busy waiting for Ryo's answer to explain her self. Sure they'd stayed with the ronin for a few months but they'd never asked them about their dating life.

"At the moment no, and I can't say I'm really looking right now either. I know the dynasty is a threat and right now the most important thing is defeating them as well as convince the people here we can help. It just wouldn't be fair to anyone." Ryo answered with a shrug, and while the girl's smile faded she gave an understanding nod. The group of fairies finally left and Tecna let go the breath she'd been holding.

"Wow you're good at turning people down gently." Musa stated and Ryo frowned.

"It's something we've all had a lot of practice at. Its not fair to endanger someone else because we may like them. The dynasty is a constant threat, and we've faced other foes too." Shin explained. "It's always on our minds, what would happen if the dynasty targeted someone we loved, what would happen if they learned about the armors and the dynasty."

"Shin's right. The last girl I fell for was in New York. It was the same trip as the picture you saw on our mantle. Her brother had been killed and she mistook Touma for the killer. She ended up learning about the armors and our strength…. She followed us into a dangerous situation to avenge her brother and was gravely wounded… She died." Ryo said the words heavy in his throat and still difficult to get out. He'd never forget her, or holding her while she died.

Tecna couldn't help but reach out to Ryo and place her hand on his arm. She could tell from the slump in his shoulder Ryo felt responsible for the death of this girl. If Tecna remembered correctly it now meant the Ronin had seen the death of at least three people who allied with them. She knew losing one person was hard, and she understood exactly why Ryo was politely declining the young women now. She'd been so wrapped up in her own fears of being hurt again that she couldn't see that the leader of the ronin held the same fear. It made her want to know more, to ask if it was the death or something else. As Musa took the attention of Shin and Rajura left to go grab a drink Tecna reached out and tapped Ryo's shoulder gently.

"Ryo I was wondering if maybe I could ask you some questions." Tecna said her gaze falling to the side as Ryo turned to look at her. She didn't want to pull open old wounds but she was very curious about why Ryo was as guard. While there were things she knew about him, Tecna was realizing that there was a lot she didn't know.

"Sure, what's your question?" Ryo smiled easily as they wandered over to a clear space away from the crowds. It was quieter away from the cowards and there was room to lean against the walls.

"I was wondering if there wasn't more that you weren't saying." Tecna started unsure of how to word her question. "What I mean is, I never looked at you or your friends as guarded but the answer you told-" Tecna hadn't been able to look at Ryo while she rambled so the touch of his hand on her arm stopped her.

"It's okay." Ryo said. "You are right, we are guarded. It may not have been noticed because friends we tend to follow Shin's lead with trusting people. Even then I know you've noticed, maybe just not realized. Seiji with his silence, Anubis his scowl, Rajura's always just polite, and Touma is off in his books." Ryo pointed out and Tecna nodded.

"What about you then. I thought you were as opened as Shin but are you guarded too? Do you really trust us?" Tecna asked and Ryo laughed.

"Of course I trust you, and so does everyone else." Ryo said.

"But you keep secrets, or things have been shared to some of us but not everyone." Tecna said thinking on how Flora seemed to know more about Seiji than any of them did with any other guy.

"If you have a question just ask, I would answer it you know." Ryo said easily and Tecna looked at him. "I'm not as good as Shin at knowing what people are wondering about. I don't have his empathy, or Touma's observation. I can just be honest when questions are asked."

"Than are you guarded? If Shin hadn't told you to trust us would you have been guarded?" Tecna asked and Ryo watched her with calm eyes.

"I still would have trusted you… but I wouldn't have stop Seiji, or Anubis from telling you to stay out of the mess with the dynasty. It's not that I don't trust people, it's that every time I meet someone knew I wonder, are they going to lose their life if they learn about the armors? Will it be one more person I am responsible for the death of? I want to protect everyone the best I can and sometimes that means I don't let them get close." Ryo explained and Tecna looked away. Ryo still smiled as he placed a hand on Tecna's shoulder waiting till she met his gaze again. "It's okay though, I know none of us are going to let anything happen to anyone here." Ryo said and Tecna found herself weakly returning his warm smile.

Tecna looked down towards her hands understanding fully Ryo's fear, his hesitation because in away it was hers too. The foundations were the same but the reason that caused this fear were very different. She almost felt childish for such an extreme difference in reason but she knew the logic was sound. Whether a person died, or left you with a broken heart it is a pain that goes deep and it was only the natural reaction to try and prevent pain again.

"Still I try to let people in, to get close to them. I just have to protect them better." Ryo said and Tecna lifted her gaze to him.

"How can you be so certain on that? That the pain was worth it?" Tecna asked and Ryo smiled warmly at her.

"Because when I do, I end up with friends like you, Stella and the rest of your friends. Its hard to let people in close because I don't want you to get hurt but I'm glad I did, and I'm glad I do even if I need a push now and then." Ryo stated and Tecna returned his smile. He was right there, she was very glad for his friendship, for Shin, Shu and Rajura. Even now she was still getting to know the others and she was glad for it.

"Maybe you are right… But I think I will wait to give my full analysis." Tecna smiled and Ryo laughed. His laugh warmed her, and she felt far better than when the night began.The sound of approaching footsteps had both of them turning their heads to see Shin and Musa coming back their way. Shin wiping off his hand and dabbing the sleeve of his suit coat. Seeing poor Shin dabbing up the liquid drew a chuckle from Tecna and Ryo.

"Did you loose the ladle to serve yourself?" Ryo asked in gest.

"No, just knocked into someone." Shin smiled and Musa flushed. "Though I guess we learned balancing punch and dancing is above what I can do."

"Go figure you can't do that but you can save the world." Tecna commented and Shin blinked at her owlishly. Her comment caught him by surprise but it wasn't long before Shin, and Ryo were laughing and Musa and herself were smiling again. Yes maybe meeting the ronin was one of the best things that happened to her, second only to meeting the winx.


	2. Blocked Page

Author Note: This is the shortest chapter I've written for anything in this Ficverse. Its short but it is still a chapter I'm putting up.

Warning: None for this chapter.

Chapter 2) Blocked Page

Set durring Chapter 35 slightly after

There was a somber feeling suffocating Alphea. A deathly silence mixing with tense emotions of the thousands of people squeezed onto the grounds of the academy. Outside the sky had become a dark grey with thunder rolling providing ambionse to the soft sobs. Tecna glanced up from the book Roxy had brought to them back on earth, when she heard footsteps drawing near. It was Ryo, offering her a small smile which she could only weakly return. He wasn't interrupting her since she'd been just staring at the page unable to comprehend the words with her mind millions of thoughts away. Why had Roxy, Stella, and now Aisha gotten this new transformation. Was it because they were willing to move passed the past? What was the test?! Before they'd always had some clue on why their friends were reaching strengths beyond them, or what could be expected in their new strength. It consumed her mind even as Ryo took a seat next to her.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Ryo asked startling Tecna out of her deep almost jealous thoughts. It wouldn't have been the first time she felt envy towards her friends and every time she always felt bad afterwards. It was why logic was so comforting.

"It's nothing." Tecna brushed it off, dropping her gaze back to the book. Tecna could hear the breath Ryo took like he was going to say something but Tecna cut him off speaking her mind and the truth. "Why is it that we won, we got away and everyone is safe but I still feel like we lost. The event proved you guys are strong, kind, and so much more! And yet I… Every time we've learned about a new power I always worry I'm not going to get it. That I'm not good enough." Tecna confessed her arms wrapping around herself. She had always worried about her strength compared to the others, of her relationships. She just was better off with her computers no matter how far she had come.

"You don't have to worry about it." Ryo finally spoke after listening to Tecna. He placed his hand over hers and smiled. "To us it doesn't matter, because we know you are already strong enough to fight Tecna. We know that you going to fight." Ryo said and Tecna looked to him, pull by his sincerity. "You are right, having to flee from the dynasty it leaves a bad taste. But we are all alive, we've learned that they can open the gates here, and I'm certain between you, Touma, and Rajura we'll make it through victorious. You guys are the smartest people I know." Ryo said with a smirk and a slight chuckle.

"You really think so highly of me?" Tecna asked feeling her cheeks flush from the possible compliment. Still it couldn't be true she wasn't the type of girl who got these compliments.

"What do you mean? I just stated a fact Tecna." Ryo said as he rested his chin on the back of his hand. "I mean no one else has studying that book like you. You jumped in and found ways to communicate back here, and I saw your fear of the cold, and you still fought. You're stronger than you give yourself credit. If that means I think highly of you then I guess I do. I just wish you would do the same." Ryo pointed out leaving Tecna gapping at the leader of the Ronin Warriors. How was it that he could be so assured in her when she wasn't.

"I don't understand you." Tecna said her hands falling over the book.

"Do you need to? Do you need to know more than I'm your friend and will always have your back even if you doubt yourself?" Ryo's voice was warm and steady and yet it gave her pause, like a fire. It was amazing to her how he could stay so positive with everything that was happening.

"Thank you Ryo." Tecna said and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey do think much of it. You're my friend Tecna." Ryo answered, and Tecna glanced back to the book before her. She looked at the image of Wildfire before looking to Ryo again.

"I know you guys said you have no magic, but the abilities your armor gives you, it extents beyond when your wearing the armor doesn't it?" Tecna asked with curiosity. If that was the case she wondered if the new power that her friends was gain would act similarly. Sure they could do magic outside of their transformation but what if it was something more.

"Yeah, but it didn't start that way. The more we used the armor the more these changes happened. Over time they became more apparent. Is there something about that, you want to know?" Ryo asked and Tecna closed the book and nodded. She stood up and Ryo followed suit. They started to walk the mood of others weigh down but Tecna felt more confident in their ability to stop the witches with Ryo walking at her side.

"Yes, I know that Seiji can heal people and I know that you have all eluded to having strange abilities, so what's yours?" Tecna asked and Ryo smiled.

"Honestly it's harder to explain, and yet it's pretty straight forward." Ryo started turning his hands over so he was looking at his palms. "I don't get burned by fire, I have been inside a volcano and been just fine, I also can heat my own body up to the point I would burn others."

"Or melt ice?" Tecna chimed in and Ryo nodded. "So your powers end up connected to fire. They why does Seiji have healing or Touma able to make force fields."

"I'm not sure. They've always been able to. Healing was the first power Seiji realized he had, all of us can create a force field in our element I think Touma's better at it because the air is all around us." Ryo explained. "Is there anything else you are wondering about?"

"Well… That link you guys have, the one Stella, Roxy and now Aisha share with you. How far does it extend." Tecna asked.

"Well as far as we want it too. Stella's learned her way around it pretty well but Roxy still is occasionally sharing a complaint when she doesn't mean to, mostly about Rajura teasing her. As for Aisha right now she either shares everything or nothing same way it started for all of us." Ryo explained. "If we wanted we can share how what we feel, thoughts, ideas, even our mood." Ryo smiled. "Even when we try and hold back stronger feels do bleed through."

"I see…. I don't know if I could handle something so… personal." Tecna said. Maybe this was why she would be left behind.

"I think your wrong. I think you would do just fine." Ryo smiled but Tecna didn't feel as confident as the warrior of wildfire.


End file.
